1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a water feed valve and, more particularly, to an improved feed valve or faucet (referred to as a feed valve hereinbelow) provided with sprinkling holes for water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, water feed valves having handles to be manually operated for selective opening or closing thereof are installed at terminal water supply spots both indoors and outdoors. In the actual use, however, since the handles are operated with soiled or filthy hands in many cases, soiling or filth which has adhered to the handles before washing hands, remain on the handles as it is. Therefore, when the feed valve is to be operated again to stop water, after the hands, feet, and the face or the like have been completely washed clean, the hands, etc. which have been carefully washed, are undesirably soiled again by the filthy handle.
Examples of such inconveniences as described above are as follows:
(1) When the feed valve is touched with soiled hands after work, etc. and then, operated again to stop the water after the hands have been cleaned. PA0 (2) When the feed valve is touched by hands applied with soap, and then, operated again after the hands have been cleaned, the soapy water adhering to the feed valve is caused to adhere to the hands repeatedly. PA0 (3) When the feed valve is touched with hands soiled by earth in gardening work, etc., and subsequently operated after the hands have been cleaned, the muddy water is caused to adhere to the hands again.
The instances as described above are not limited to the cases at homes, but may be found in an extremely wide range of spots such as restaurants, public lavatories, factories, etc. Accordingly, it has been a conventional practice to clean the handles of the feed valves after use for avoiding an unpleasant feeling, but such a practice has not actually been fully carried out, since it is rather troublesome and time consuming. Furthermore, the practice as described above is unsanitary, since invisible contamination, for example, by various bacteria and the like tends to be overlooked, although visible soiling may be readily removed. In order to overcome the disadvantages as described above, there has been conventionally proposed a feed valve which can be opened or closed without directly using hands. However, such known feed valve is not only expensive, but requires an electrical control facility for operation. Under such circumstances, there has been a strong demand for a feed valve which can be readily applied to the existing feed valves, and is capable of automatically cleaning the handle during water supply.